WNYT.com

Driver in Shen fatal crash hears charges

BALLSTON SPA – More than a month after the two-car crash that killed two Shenendehowa High School seniors and severely injured two other teens, the driver of the other car involved in the collision appeared in court Monday.

Charges of vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular homicide and numerous other felonies have been filed.

Dennis Drue, a 22-year-old Siena College student, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday to a 59-count indictment.

Most charges are felonies.

Authorities say Drue had been stopped by police 22 times since 2007 and been involved in four car crashes.

District Attorney James Murphy and State Police Capt. Steven James have scheduled a news conference for after the proceeding.

On Dec. 1 Drue’s car struck an SUV being driven by 17-year-old Chris Stewart on the Northway. Stewart and 17-year-old Deanna Rivers were both killed. Seventeen-year-old Matt Hardy, another student at Shen, and 17-year-old Bailey Wind, a student at Shaker High School in Colonie, were both badly injured.

After the crash, state police said Drue had been speeding.

Initially they also said they believed Drue had been drinking. However, lab tests later revealed he was not legally intoxicated. Authorities declined to reveal what his blood alcohol content was, but said further testing needed to be done to see if he had any drugs in his system. Those results have not yet been made public.